Motorola unveils RAZR2 and "media monster" Z8

Motorola unveils the RAZR2, the latest version of its ultra-thin clamshell phones. What's more, it's even slimmer than before.

BANGKOK, THAILAND--After its initial launch by CEO Ed Zander in the US, Motorola today unveiled its new RAZR2 mobile phones in Asia Pacific. Also showcased was the Z8, the "media monster" that Zander referred to at a tech conference a week earlier.

The Motorola RAZR2 series is now 2mm thinner than the original RAZR (13.9mm in thickness). The V9 model is HSDPA-enabled and loses the thick section at the bottom which used to hold the antenna in the earlier RAZR. It comes with two large displays: A 2-inch external one and a 2.2-inch QVGA main internal display. The front cover also features touch-sensitive buttons that vibrate according to the user's key presses for tactile feedback.

Also launched were the V9m for CDMA markets and the V8, a quadband model with a redesigned user interface. All three models will feature a 500MHz ARM processor for improved interface speed and USB 2.0 for faster data transfer.

A surprise was that the "media monster" is actually the Z8. This slider model was shown was first showcased at 3GSM 2007. Some of its features include 3G with HSDPA and a QVGA display capable of 16 million colors and playing video at 30fps. The internal 80MB memory won't go far for full-length movies but it does have a microSD slot which will support cards up to 32GB in capacity.

Model name	In a nutshell
Motorola RAZR2 V9 Click for more details	Cool factor: HSDPA-enabled phone that's even thinner than the original RAZR. Notable features: Stainless steel internal frame 3G with HSDPA connectivity 2-megapixel camera 2.2-inch 240 x 320-pixel LCD Capable of video calls microSD memory expansion 45MB internal memory Full HTML browser 2mm thinner than original RAZR Availability: July 2007
Motorola RAZR2 V9m Click to see larger image	Cool factor: Ultra-slim CDMA handset with built-in GPS capabilities. Notable features: CDMA 800, 1900 Mhz, 1X and EVDO support 2-megapixel camera 2.2-inch 240 x 320-pixel internal LCD 2.2-inch 240 x 320-pixel external LCD Bluetooth stereo with A2DP microSD memory expansion Full HTML browser Availability: July 2007 in selected CDMA markets
Motorola RAZR2 V8 Click for more details	Cool factor: Newest quadband clamshell with the RAZR form factor. Notable features: Quadband GSM with EDGE 2-megapixel camera 2.2-inch 240 x 320-pixel internal LCD 2.2-inch 240 x 320-pixel external LCD Bluetooth stereo with A2DP microSD memory expansion Full HTML browser Availability: July 2007
Moto Z8 Click for more details	Cool factor: Curved slider phone capable of playing videos at 30fps. Notable features: 3G with HSDPA connectivity Camera with LED light 16-million color 240 x 320-pixel LCD 80MB free internal memory Bluetooth stereo with A2DP microSD memory expansion OMAP2420 and ARM 11 processors Easy uploading of videos to sites like YouTube and MySpace Availability: Europe in June and throughout Asia later this year
Moto Q 9 Click for more details	Cool factor: Slim WM6 smart phone with a QWERTY keyboard and HSDPA connectivity. Notable features: 3G with HSDPA connectivity Windows Mobile 6 Standard TI OMAP 2420 processor 2-megapixel camera 96MB RAM/256MB flash ROM Bluetooth stereo with A2DP microSD memory expansion Availability: Italy this week and expected in the rest of the world in the coming months
Motorola ROKR Z6 Click for more details	Cool factor: Music-themed slider with support for Windows Media DRM. Notable features: Quadband GSM with EDGE High-speed USB 2.0 2.0-inch 240 x 320-pixel LCD Linux/JAVA platform Bluetooth stereo with A2DP microSD memory expansion Availability: China in May and throughout Asia later this year